Ohio Apples has rebranded as Fresh Forward, according to a news release.

In recent years, the farm cooperative’s membership has grown beyond Ohio to include orchards and vegetable farms in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Virginia. The new brand, Fresh Forward, and tagline, “Harvested from Great Lakes Farms,” better represent the regionality of the cooperative’s farmer members, according to the release.

“The Ohio Apples brand has served us well, but it does not accurately represent our current member services, geographic region and harvest offerings,” Fresh Forward President Alex Buck said in a statement. “Our brand may have changed, but our organization’s mission remains the same: to provide the highest quality fresh market produce to help independent farms and communities thrive.”

Fruit Growers Marketing Association is Fresh Forward’s parent organization. All Fresh Forward member farms are Primus-certified as part of the Global Food Safety Initiative, an organization that benchmarks food safety standards, according to the release.

For more information about Fresh Forward and its members, visit: freshforwardfarms.com.

—by Matt Milkovich